Competition in the third stage of Arctic Race of Norway: Tom Pidcock edges Corbin Strong at a vertical conclusion
Closely Contested Battle Between Pidcock and Strong in Stage 4 of Arctic Race of Norway
In the fourth stage of the Arctic Race of Norway 2025, Tom Pidcock and Corbin Strong engaged in a thrilling battle for bonus seconds and stage positioning. Pidcock aggressively pursued the intermediate sprint points to narrow down his overall time deficit, while Strong consistently matched Pidcock’s pace.
The stage, a rolling 135.3km race around Tromsø, featured a challenging 3.7km, 7.8% climb to the finish in Målselv. The breakaway quartet, including Storm Ingebrigtsen (Team Coop-Repsol) and Georg Rydningen Martinsen (Lillehammer CK Continental Team), opened a lead of 1:30 early in the stage. However, the peloton did not chase aggressively, and the gap increased. Q36.5 was the only team willing to put a rider on the front to make the chase[2].
With 30km to go, the gap was down to 1:30, as the four riders attacked each other rather than working smoothly together[3]. Pidcock and Strong went nearly head-to-head for the bonus seconds at intermediate sprints, with Pidcock ultimately gaining two seconds, which helped reduce the gap between them in the general classification[1].
Tom Pidcock (Q36.5 Pro Cycling) won stage 3 of the Arctic Race of Norway at Målselv, but his victory was not without drama. He suffered a mechanical problem with 10km to go and had to chase in the cars. However, he returned to the peloton as the pace accelerated to the foot of the climb to the finish[5]. Morthen Wang Baksaas (Team Ringerikskraft) won 100kg of salmon for being the first to reach the top of the early Husøy climb[6].
Looking ahead, predictions and strategies for Pidcock and Strong on subsequent stages would likely focus on their key battleground, the intermediate sprints where bonus seconds are available. Pidcock’s strategy might involve continuing to target intermediate sprints to earn crucial bonus seconds for a GC advantage, using his tactical sense to manage efforts across the laps. Strong, on the other hand, might aim to contest sprints and stay as close as possible to limit time losses, while also looking to conserve energy and respond to Pidcock’s moves to stay competitive in the final kilometers[1].
Christian Scaroni (XDS-Astana) finished third on stage 3, 12 seconds behind Pidcock, and is third in the GC, 23 seconds behind Strong[4]. The final stage around Tromsø promises to be an exciting conclusion to the race.
References:
- Arctic Race of Norway 2025: Stage 4 Preview
- Arctic Race of Norway 2025: Stage 3 Recap
- Arctic Race of Norway 2025: Stage 3 Analysis
- Arctic Race of Norway 2025: General Classification
- Arctic Race of Norway 2025: Stage 3 Race Report
- Arctic Race of Norway 2025: Stage 3 King of the Mountains
During the fourth stage of the Arctic Race of Norway 2025, the closely contested battle between Tom Pidcock and Corbin Strong showcased their relentless pursuit of bonus seconds and stage positioning. In future stages, the key battleground for these sports rivals is expected to be the intermediate sprints, where bonus seconds are available.
